Whats News 08/29

By: Corey | July 29th, 2008

So whats been going on in the world of Real Madrid the past few days? Well Roberto Soldado has finally been sold, thats what. It has not been made official yet, and it may hit another snag in the negotiations, but for all intensive purposes, its a 6 million euro deal, 4 up front, 2 after the next sale. Roberto leaves us a broken man, a waste of undeniable talent that hopefully will get his career back on track at Getafe. He could have been the next El Moro, if only big guy.

Well, I may write a obituary for him when the deal is announced, so on to the next thing. Bernadine, ohh are loveable Bernadine, has said he is grown tired of “CRonaldogate” (one of my old roommates and I used to love how all sports related incidents in the US had -gate attached to them, seems the trend has found its away across the ocean). Schuster fears that the obsession over Ronaldo, something he helped create, will lead to a lack of signings this summer. Well Bernd, Castilla has signed a bunch of players, so thats not totally true.

Besides mocking our coach, I feel I must get this off my chest. STOP WHINING OLD MAN! You have an incredible squad, with a few players who are paid millions to not even play. Of course I would like to see Van de Vaart added to the squad, but at what price is that? We relegate another midfielder to the bench? Guti? Gago? De la Red? Sneijder? Baptista? All look like bench canidates considering the amount of players we have available. And we know Robben and Robinho wont both be playing at the same time.

So while Schuster is right that Van de Vaart is a great player, and that the Ronaldo business is very tiring, that he must not complain about not having a complete squad. If you want Van de Vaart, pay more then 5 million for him. If you want Ronaldo, well I dont know, dont think its gonna happen, but stop talking about it. Be happy with what you got, because declerations to the press that this player is much appreciated and such only goes to unsettle your current players.

Along those same lines, Pepe had this to say about his interational team mate:

“We need to recognise that Madrid has its squad and that the players here have their quality.”

“There is a little disrespect going on because a team does not rely on one player, even if he is very good. Pele and Maradona won major games, but they had help from their peers.”

Again, Pepe wants to stress the importance that Real is a team, and is unconcerned with an individual player, which is to the contrary of the press, that see Ronaldo as the next big star to arrive at the Bernabeu. Maybe so. But he has 10 other players on the field with him, dont forget that. I am beginning to reconfirm to myself why this Ronaldo situation just isnt gonna work.

There was also news that Real Madrid Radio has been launched. It will be available through the official website as well as being broadcast on a few channels by Intereconimia. More details to follow Im sure.

And finally, the English press is simply retarded. They think Ruben de la Red, just returned from a great year at Getafe and a EURO champion, would want to go play for Aston Villa? Boyhood club in the CL and favorites for the title this year vs. mid-sized team that made the UEFA cup through the Intertoto and is situated in the ever so pleasent surroundings of Birmingham. Now what would you choose?

And finally, what a post be without an insane amount of player interviews?

Cannavaro

Fabio Cannavaro is about to begin his third season as a Real Madrid player. HIs great experience is one the team’s strongest assets. The Italian centre back hopes to recover soon from his ankle injury.

How’s your ankle coming along?

It is much better. I’ve already started to run and I am working with excitement. I feel much better and expect to rejoin the squad in a couple of weeks.

This has been a different summer…

It has because I haven’t had any holidays. I’ve had to work throughout the summer. I trained with a physiotherapist every morning and spent some time with my family every afternoon. I went to the sea every now and again. This summer has indeed been different, but it’s over now. I’m here now and I’m happy.

How excited are you about the coming season?

Very much because I injured myself in the first training session with Italy in Austria and I was very disappointed to miss the Euro. I am very excited about coming back and rejoining the team. I want to win another title.

Work this pre-season has gradually been increasing since the first day in the Algarve. How has the squad benefited from this?

It’s been good for us because it’s allowed us to work slowly and to rest. We’ll be less tired when the season begins. I think the Club planned it phenomenally well. The week in Portugal allowed us all to recover.

It seems there’s great vibes on the team from the outset…

Most of us have been together for two years and that is obvious on the pitch. The team is working hard right now, that’s why they’re silent (laughs), but we’re fine.

Every player believes the strength of this team lies in the unity of the squad.

That’s how it should always be. We’ve been successful because we’ve gone back to being a proper team again.

What goals does the team have for this season?

Our first goal will be to win the Spanish Super Cup against Valencia because we didn’t manage to win the title last year. The rest will come later. Having won two league titles consecutively makes the Champions League an obvious goal for us.

You’ll want to get rid of that thorn on your side this year…

Many of our men were injured we faced Roma last season when. I have faith in this team and I believe we will be able to play equally well in La Liga and in the Champions League.

The squad seems to be very motivated. Can we expect a great year from you lot?

Yes, you can. That’s what we all want. We know our fans and the Club demand that from us, but it isn’t easy. We must be focused and play as a team, We have to gain confidence with each game. It won’t be easy, but we are working very hard.

What Cannavaro will we see this year?

I hope to have a good season; it’s important for me and for Real Madrid also.

It is also important for the young players who look up to you.

That’s one of the great responsibilities a football player has. You have to be very professional and be aware that people are always observing you. You always have to do things well.

You will be the boss of the defence once again this year…

Maybe because I’m the eldest, but we only need one boss here: Bernd Schuster. We must do what he says.

You veterans seem to act like father figures for the younger players…

Yes. I think the youngsters should take advantage of our presence and professional behaviour. We try to do things as best as we can for them to learn from us.

Does it bother you to hear so much talk about signings during the pre-season?

I realised the other day that no one ever talks about the team we have right now. That’s not good for us because we have to focus on the group we currently have, which has so far won two league titles.

What would you like to say to the fans?

We will do our best and fight till the end because we know that is the only way to achieve something big.

Guti

Guti was a guest on Onda Madrid, where he said the team can do better this year than in the previous campaign.

“This is a different season for me because I have chances of being a starter and I know for sure that I will stay on the team. Past pre-seasons were always hard for me because I never knew if I was going to stay. The years have luckily normalized my situation on the team and helped me be more relaxed.”

“The squad tries to distance itself from rumours about players that may leave the team. Everybody likes to play for Real Madrid, but it sometimes takes too long to make progress on this team. It is sometimes better to leave and play somewhere else than to stay here and hardly play at all. I nevertheless think Robinho’s case is rather special. He feels well and happy at Real Madrid. A player like him likes to be valued. The Club knows he is a strong asset for the future and I believe all Madridismo wants him to stay.”

“Last year was good, but we expect to improve. We have the same squad and a very clear idea of what we want. We weant to have a good start to the season in order to have a comfortable lead that allows us to use all our weaponry in Europe. We want to be one of the best four teams in the continent, which is what Real Madrid deserves to be anyway.”

“We had a very positive experience in the Algarve and we hope to return there for many years. It was a mixture between spending leisure time together and work. We trained for over two hours every day and then enjoyed the spectacular surroundings in the evenings. It was nice to spend more time together that way.”

“Spain surprised us all. You never know what’s going to happen, but we believe this young team that has made us all proud will also be important in the World Cup. I would’ve enjoyed myself immensely on the team, but it just wasn’t meant to be.”

Casillas

Iker Casillas gave a press conference exactly one month after winning the Euro 2008 with Spain. The Spanish captain is back and ready to work very hard.

How many times have you seen a picture of yourself lifting the Euro 2008 Cup?
So many… I will never forget it. It’s on the internet, in the newspapers… It’s even published now that Carlos Sastre’s won the Tour de France. It’s nice to be part of that picture.

What did your teammates say to you when you returned?
They all congratulated us and said they enjoyed watching Spain play so well. They are very happy for us.

Have you teased Cannavaro about it?
I shouldn’t say this, but I have a bit. Nevertheless, as soon as he utters the words “world champion” one has to shut up, but at least I’ve enjoyed myself a little.

Have you spoken with Raúl?
Yes. He congratulated me and told me he enjoyed watching Spain play. He is very happy for us.

And with Schuster?
He’s laughed with us. He is German, but I think he also feels a little Spanish, so he is happy for us too.

Is it hard to return to the team and answer so many questions about Real Madrid?
It actually isn’t. I’ve been on holiday four weeks and I don’t know anything about all the stuff people are talking about. I have heard about the possible signing of Cristiano Ronaldo because he makes every single front page, but I know nothing on the situation.

Regardless of who joins the team, the core is already there…
Yes, that’s true. We had a good season last year and won the league. We didn’t get Real Madrid as far as it deserves in Europe, so we know we have to take it a step further this year. It will be difficult to dominate in the league again this season, but we’ll try. We will also work harder to reach the semifinals in the Champions League in order to have a greater chance of playing in the final. We’ve been losing in the quarterfinals for a long time now and we all think we should reach further.

Do you think you need some new players in order to be stronger in Europe? I don’t know. We’ll see as the season unfolds. Every other team has made reinforcements during the summer and we’ve recovered players who were on loan last year.

Did it feel better to win the Euro with Spain than winning a Champions League?
I have to say it’s a very different feeling. Winning a Euro with Spain isn’t the same as winning a Champions League with Real Madrid. A Euro takes place every four years and a Champions League every season, and Spain hadn’t won an international title in 44 years. The feeling was probably similar to the one felt by the Real Madrid players who won the Club’s seventh European Cup. The Euro is one of the most important titles in my career.

What do you think of Cristiano Ronaldo?
As a football fan I believe he is a great player. He’s proved it every season at Manchester United and everybody wants him to sign for Real Madrid. But there are great players all over the place: Ibrahimovic at Inter, Gerrard at Liverpool, Lampard at Chelsea… The’re all very good, but Cristiano happens to be the talk of the town these days.

The secret to Real Madrid’s success is the good vibes on the team, just like on the Spanish squad…
We all have to help out, and winning helps us too because we’re all better, prettier and happier. But a true team truly sticks out in rough times. We had both very good and terrible moments last year and the team pulled through by uniting and using all of its weaponry. There was a time when this side had many great and famous players that didn’t bring much to the team and we won no titles, but that’s behind us now. We will welcome any player that comes to add something.

Rumour has it the Club may wish to sign David Villa. What do you think of that?
I know Villa well. He is a very good friend of mine and anything that’s good for him makes me happy. But this matter has nothing to do with me nor the squad. We want to have a team that’s strong in three competitions and the Club and the coach should work towards that.

You may be a contender for the Ballon d’Or…
A long time ago, I said I thought it is very hard to win the Ballon d’Or because everything is subjective. Several players deserved it in the past but never won, so I don’t even think about it. All I’m interested in is doing a good job for Real Madrid and take the team to the very top, where it deserves to be.

What does it mean to the Spanish squad to have Vicente del Bosque as its new coach?
I don’t know. He is a new coach whose methods are different to Aragonés’. This change could be good or bad at this time because it will be hard to achieve winning another title. The group will be the same and Vicente loves football. He will try to keep Spain at the top of the world ranking as long as he can and have the team do a good job in the Confederation Cup.

You were a staunch Aragonés supporter. Did you judge him to be in a weak position?
Our defence of Luis didn’t necessarily have to mean his contract would be extended. It’s the same as here; we could talk for hours on possible signings, but it’s up to the coach and the Club to decide in the end. Aragonés reached an agreement with the FA and we couldn’t say more about the whole matter. It’s natural for someone to want a good atmosphere to continue. We had a great time in the Euro and the years prior to the competition.

How’s Robinho doing?
He’s not as chirpy as usual, but I don’t see anything wrong with him. A Real Madrid player is always prune to be affected by news and rumours. I’ve known him for three years and he’s a great player. We are all delighted with him. We welcome everyone who’s willing to help the team. If not, they can stay home.

Have you noticed a slight ‘Ikermania’ after the Euro victory?
People remember you more when you win such a championship. I can only thank people for how well they’ve treated myself and the rest of the team.

Do you think the team needs Cristiano Ronaldo?
I don’t know. I can only welcome those who want to help us. We will be happy with whomever subscribes to our unity and brings results. But all this doesn’t concern me. It’s up to the Club to decide.

Do you think fans may find the lack of signings strange?
It wouldn’t be that far out. The team did well last year and faltered against Roma because it sustained injuries. Eight new players were signed last year, so the important thing now is to strive for unity and good results.

You needed to win only two titles: the King’s Cup and one with Spain. You’ve already got the Euro…
But I want many more: the World Cup, the UEFA Cup… I am ambitious. The more I win, the more I want.

Is winning the King’s Cup one of your goals?
Of course it is. The team hasn’t won the title since 1993 and we have to prove it is an important title for us.

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